Long wall mining planer having mine floor related guiding means



' Fig.1

Filed May 25, 1965 HANS-THEODOR GRISEBACH LONG WALL MINING PLANER HAVING MINE FLOOR RELATED GUIDING MEANS Sept. 26, 1967 INVEN TOR.- HANS- THEODOR GRISEBACH 7 BY 3 1s a A r TOR NEYS United States Patent 3,343,879 LGNG WALL MINING PLANER HAVING MINE FLOOR RELATED GUIDING MEANS Hans-Theodor Grisebach, Cappenberg, near Lunen, Westphalia, Germany, assignor to Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westfalia, Wethmar, near Lunen, Westphalia, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed May 25, 1965, Ser. No. 458,725 6 Claims. (Cl. 299-34) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE This specification discloses an improved apparatus for planing long wall mine faces. This apparatus comprises a generally longitudinal conveyor which is spaced from the mine face and positioned on the mine floor. Operatively associated with the conveyor is a guide means having a planer attached thereto adapted to plane the mine wall face. The guide-planer apparatus has at the base thereof a slot-cutting means and a secondary guide means which extend therefrom toward the mine face. This slotcutter is adapted to cut a slot in the mine face at floor level, and the secondary guide means is adapted to fit into the slot so cut. In the usual use of this novel construction, the secondary guide means follows the slotcutter as such moves along the mine face.

This invention relates in general to the art of extracting mineral from long wall mine faces, and more particularly to a coal planer and conveyor arrangement for performing a long wall mining method.

In the mining method of the instant invention, the mineral, such as coal, is extracted in successive operations from a long wall mine face by means of a mineral planing device combined with a slot cutting device and guide means in accordance with the invention. According to the method of the invention, successive mineral extraction is accomplished by repeatedly and sequentially cutting a longitudinal slot recessed into the mine face extending along a selected mineral removal direction by means of the slot cutting device, and moving the mineral planing device relative to said mine face in extractive engagement therewith and in parallel guided relation to said slot by said guide means to remove mineral from the mine face along a path parallel to said selected direction and in longitudinally coextensive communication with said slot. Thus, by removing the mineral along a path which is in coextensive communication with each succeeding slot, the slot cutting device need only be provided with a limited cutting depth capability, since each successive mineral planing operation will present equivalent of the original mine face to the slot cutting device, and as the mineral extraction progresses, the intact boundary surfaces of successive slot cuts, i.e., the slot boundaries untouched by the mineral planing device, will define a reference surface for the guidance of succeeding slot cutting operations.

As contemplated by the invention, the mineral planing device is moved relative to the mine face to extract mineral therefrom along a path parallel to the floor, and accordingly, the slot cutting device is disposed for cutting into the mine face along the mine floor line, so that a relatively smooth floor surface is progressively created along with the primary mineral extraction performed by the mineral planing device.

For this purpose, the coal planer and conveyor arrangement of the instant invention provides an elongated conveyor means adapted to be positioned upon a mine floor in opposite spaced relation to a long wall mine face. The conveyor means used is a conventional mining conveyor 3,343,879 Patented Sept. 26, 1967 such as is commonly used for transporting coal removed from the mine face away from the area of the extracting equipment, and is provided with a pair of oppositely CllS- posed side members which are normally oriented in parallel relation to the mine face.

A guide means in the form of a coal planer guide rail is disposed between one side member of the conveyor and is operatively connected thereto so as to be disposed in approximately parallel relation to the mine face. This guide rail serves for guiding the longitudinal movement of a coal planer relative to the mine face along a predetermined path which is normally parallel thereto.

The coal planer is disposed in operative engagement with the guide rail for longitudinal movement therealong by any suitable conventional motive means, such as for example, a motor driven chain, and is provided with one or more planing cutters disposed for extractive engagement with the mine face to remove coal therefrom along a path thereon corresponding to the path of movement of said coal planer along the guide rail.

A slot cutting means in the form of a chisel toothed blade member, having cutting teeth disposed for extractive engagement with the mine face, is provided for cutting a longitudinal slot recessed into the mine face and extending along the mine floor line, and somewhat greater in depth than that of the coal removal path produced by the coal planer. This slot is approximately parallel and in underlying relation to the path of coal rem-oval resulting from the action of the coal planer.

An elongated guide blade member which can be either operatively connected to, or integrally constructed with the coal planer guide rail, is provided for engaging into the aforesaid slot to hold the guide rail in substantially fixed relation to the mine face and in abutting contact with the mine floor against the influence of the coal winning reaction forces transmitted to the guide rail via the coal planer. Without such engagement of the guide blade member, the guide rail would be subjected to twisting with each pass of the coal planer, which would tend to produce an upward climbing coal cutting action with each successive planer pass.

The slot cutting blade is preferably driven by and along with the coal planer, so that a single motive means will sufiice for performing the primary coal extraction by the planer, and the relatively smaller, but essential coal extraction by the slot cutting blade operating to cut the slot.

There are numerous potential arrangements for driving the slot cutting blade. For example, the slot cutting blade can be directly connected in fixed relation to the coal planer. However, such direct connection is not absolutely necessary, and it will suflice if the coal planer and slot cutting blade are merely in operative engagement, such as for example, where the slot cutting blade is driven by contact with the coal planer, or with a member carried by said coal planer.

Additional guide means can be provided either on the coal planar itself, or on the guide rail or the guide blade member for guiding the longitudinal movement of the slot cutting blade along a selected path.

The slot cutting blade is preferably disposed in relation to the cutters on the coal planer so as to extractively engage the mine face when cutting the slot at a position thereon which is displaced longitudinally behind the positions of extractive engagement of the coal planer cutters with said mine face so that once the initial slot is cut, the coal removal performed by the coal planer is performed in advance of the coal removal performed by the slot cutting blade in cutting the next succeeding slot.

It desired, means can be provided for positioning the slot cutting blade relative to the coal planer to adjust the depth of cut produced by said slot cutting blade in relation to the depth of cut produced by the coal planer.

Conveyor and coal planer arrangements are known in which the coal planer is guided on a rail fastened to the conveyor, said rail being tilted downward in a ramp-wise fashion toward the mine floor, so that one edge of the rail is resting on the floor at the coal face side and is pressed unyieldingly against the coal face. The coal planer carried on this guiding rail is so designed and its cutters are so arranged that they project only by the amount of the intended depth of cut beyond the edge of the guide rail on the coal face side. Thus, the conveyor is not pushed back from the coal face when the planer makes a pass, as it is in some prior arrangements. Planers of this type do not have a keel extending beneath the conveyor, so that they have to transmit all coal winning reaction forces to the relatively narrow guiding rail. The danger therefore exists that the coal planer may, as a result of the forces acting upon it, lift the entire guiding system, thereby eliminating the controlling function of the guiding rail with reference to the cutting action of the coal planer.

To avoid this difficulty, in some mining arrangements propping devices are arranged on or near the conveyor on the coal face side to hold the guiding rail constantly down against the floor. Doing this, however, has the disadvantage of broadening the alley between the conveyor and the coal face and making it necessary to guide the coal extracted by the planer around the props and and into the conveyor.

An additional disadvantage of such a solution is that the expense involved is considerable. Furthermore, fine coal constantly accumulates in front of the leading edge or floor lip of the guiding rail so that it cannot be pushed all the way forward against the coal face. This reduces the cutting depth of the planer, and the floor lip tends to ride upon the fine coal, so that fine coal gradually infiltrates into the return section of the conveyor, i.e. underneath the conveyor, resulting in two serious problems, one being that the running of the guiding rail and conveyor on a cushion of fine coal causes the planer to climb, and the other problem being that the fine coal accumulating underneath the conveyor within the reach of its returning scrapers produces an additional load on the conveyor driving machinery which has to be compensated by an increased power input capability.

The purpose of the invention is therefore to find a satisfactory solution in the form of means which will keep the guiding rail against the floor and absorb the forces transmitted to the guiding rail by the planer. In addition, it is desired that the leading edge of the guiding rail will be able always to contact the floor and the coal face in a clean area free of fine coal.

The invention solves this problem by providing the coal planer with an additional cutting tool in the form of a chisel toothed blade which cuts a slot in the coal face in the immediate vicinity of the floor in line with the floor lip of the guiding rail, in such a manner that the floor lip can be pushed into this slot and transmitted to the coal face the forces which act upon it.

According to another feature of the invention, the additional slot cutting tool is so arranged that its effective cutting action occurs after that of the main cutters of the coal planer, or at least after the bottom chisel cutters thereof. This is desirable because, in the area behind the main cutters of the coal planer, the coal face has already been cut back in front of the floor lip of the guiding rail. This enables the various longitudinal sections of the conveyor to be pushed against the coal face by advancing cylinders as the coal planer progressively cuts along the mine face, with the conveyor section pivoting on one another successively as this is done. The slot cutting tool can be arranged in this freshly cut area and there perform its functions unhampered.

According to another feature of the invention, one or more slot cutting tools are provided in the form of chisel plates that can pivot in and out in guides on the bottom of the cutter holder portion of the coal planer, and at an angle to its direction of travel.

According to another feature of the invention, the slot cutting device is fastened to the coal planer cutter holder or to the end of the coal planer carriage and is guided in its longitudinal displacement by conventional elastically acting means, directed toward the mine floor, and which also act elastically on the slot cutting device in such a manner that the floorward contact pressure of the slot cutting tools is independent of the motion of the coal planer. Thus, by means of a single slot cutting plate or blade, which can be mounted to the coal planer for effective slot cutting action in both directions of travel on the guiding rail, an appropriate longitudinal slot can be continuously and progressively cut in a mine face area which has been sufficiently cut free by the forerunning bottom chisels on the coal planer, which in effect, cut a coal removal path which is substantially in longitudinal coextensive communication with the slot. At the same time, the springing elastic contact pressure holding the slot cutting blade against the mine floor assures that tilting forces acting upon the rest of the coal planer cannot vary the contact pressure exerted by the slot cutting blade against the floor, and thus assures that they will continuously out clean down to the floor line and in line with the guiding rail portion that is in contact with the floor.

Since the leading edge portion of the planer guiding rail, which is of a blade-like design, has already engaged in the slot in the longitudinal mine face area preceding the passage of the coal planer, and because such coal planers are usually so designed that their guiding members which engage the guide rail precede their main cutters and transmit the forces of coal winning reaction to the guiding rail, assurance is thus provided that these reaction forces transmitted to the rail will also be dissipated in the slot cut into the coal face.

As already described, the engagement of the leading edge of the guiding rail into the coal face slot is not possible immediately behind the coal planer cutters, nor is it desired because otherwise it would not be possible to cut this slot free. However, only in a short longitudinal area behind the coal planer main cutters there remains an approximately triangular area into which the leading edge of the guiding rail does not engage.

According to another feature of the invention, the slot cutting blade is advantageously so designed that it is guided on the blade-like leading edge of the guide rail, with the slot cutting blade being driven by a non-rigid connection with the coal planer. In such case, the slot cutting blade is preferably constructed so as to have a portion which shields or encases the guiding rail leading edge.

The invention thus affords both a method and an apparatus arrangement for the Winning of coal by a keelless coal planer unyieldingly urged by its guide rail against the coal face, the said guide rail lying against the coal face with a blade-like member having a continuous leading edge disposed on the floor.

The method of the instant invention is characterized in that the leading edge member of the guide rail engages into a slot cut into the mine face at the mine floor line during a preceding pass of the coal planer, while at the same time, a new, but similar slot is bein cut in a longitudinal mine face area which lies behind the advancing planer cutters, and the portions of the guide rail leading edge which are arranged behind the coal planer are pushed into this new slot by advancing cylinders.

The coal planer is so constructed and arranged in relation to the guide rail, so that the leading edge guide member which is either integral with, or fixedly connected to the guide rail, engages into the mine face slot to dissipate the reaction forces acting on the planer.

The guide rail is constructed of a plurality of individual longitudinal sections which are in turn fastened to the coal face side member of the conveyor, so that during normal operation, at least some of such guide rail sections will have a hold in the previously cut slot.

It is advantageous for the bottom surface of the guide rail and its guide blade member, which contact the mine floor to be provided with affixed projections, such as cams, pins and the like, directed towards the coal face so as to give it in effect, a corrugated or saw-toothed shape to permit the escape of the fine coal which might otherwise interfere with the slot cutting action.

It is therefore, an object of the invention to provide an effective and efiicient method for extracting coal from a long wall mining face in successive operations along a direction parallel to an adjoining mine floor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coal planer and conveyor arrangement for performing the aforesaid method.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coal planer and conveyor arrangement as aforesaid which provides means for maintaining reliable coal planer guidance against the influence of coal winning reaction forces.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coal planer and conveyor arrangement as aforesaid wherein said coal winning reaction forces are transmitted back to the mine face.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coal planer and conveyor arrangement as aforesaid which assures continuous positive guidance of the coal planer in relation to the mine floor and face.

Still another and further object of the invention is to provide a coal planer and conveyor arrangement as aforesaid which is capable of effective coal planer guidance for extraction in both directions of coal planer travel along the mine face.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a coal planer and conveyor arrangement according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, as taken at a section through the mine face parallel to the mine floor.

FIG. 2 is sectional view of the coal planer and conveyor arrangement of FIG. 1 taken along line 2-2 therein.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the coal planer and conveyor arrangement A for performing the long Wall mining method of the invention is provided with an elongated conveyor 1 which is constructed from a plurality of end adjoining, flexibly interconnected longitudinal trough-like sections 2. The conveyor 1 is adapted to be positioned upon a mine floor G in opposite spaced relation to the mine face F and is provided with a coal face side member 3 on each of its sections 2, for operative connection to the guide rail 4, said side member 3 and guide rail 4 being disposed approximately parallel to the mine face F.

The guide rail 4 is provided with an elongated guide blade member 5 having a leading edge disposed against the mine face F and the mine floor G. This blade member 5 can be either integrally constructed with the guide rail 4 as shown in FIG. 2, or can be separately constructed and fastened thereto.

A coal planer 6 is disposed in operative engagement with the guide rail 4 for guided longitudinal movement relative to the mine face F along a predetermined path defined by the guide rail 4, said path being approximately parallel to said mine face F. The coal planer 6 is provided with a plurality of cutters 7 disposed for extractive engagement with the mine face F for coal removal therefrom along a path thereon corresponding to the guidance path of said coal planer 6. Any suitable conventional motive means, such as for example, a driven chain C, can be used for moving the coal planer 6 longitudinally relative to the mine face F.

It can be noted that the coal planer 6 is not provided with any underlying keel member, as in the case of 6 certain prior art long wall mining arrangements, such a keel member which is ordinarly positioned for sliding engagement with the underside of the conveyor 1, is not necessary in the coal planer and conveyor arrangement A of the instant invention.

In general, it can be said that the particular detail design features of the conveyor 1, guide rail 4 and coal planer 6 are not critical of themselves, but are only restricted to the extent that they provide the necessary cooperation between one another for the purposes of the invention. Thus, a wide variety of conveyors 1, guide rails 4 and coal planers 6 can be assembled in accordance with the invention to construct the coal planer and conveyor arrangement A.

A slot cutting blade member 8, which functions as an undercutting tool, is disposed for extractive engagement with the mine face F and is moved longitudinally with the coal planer 6 along a corresponding path disposed approximately parallel to the path of coal removal produced by said coal planer 6 and in underlying relation thereto for cutting a longitudinal slot 9 recessed in the coal face F, said slot 9 extending deeper into the coal face F than the depth of cut produced by said coal planer 6.

While numerous arrangements can be provided for longitudinally driving the slot cutting blade 8 by the coal planer 6, for such purpose, said slot cutting blade 8 is expediently disposed either in operative engagement with, or operatively connected to said coal planer 6 for longitudinal movement therewith.

The arrow X indicates the direction of movement of the coal planer 6 for producing the cut down to the front surface 12 of the mine face F as shown in FIG. 1, it being understood that said coal planer 6 can be a conventional type which is capable of extracting coal when moved in the reverse direction, and likewise with regard to the slot. cutting tool 8.

As in the case of prior art coal planer arrangements, the guiding rail 4 and its associated guide plate 5 is pressed unyieldingly against the coal face F and the planing cutters extract coal from the face F along a longitudinal strip of approximately constant width and depth, the depth of cut thereof corresponding to the distance between the leading edge of the guide plate 5 and the leading edges of the coal planer 6, cutters 7 extending beyond said leading edge.

In the arrangement A according to the invention, however, an undercutting tool 8 is provided, which cuts a slot 9 into the coal seam F just ahead of the leading edge of the guide blade 5. The leading edge of the guide blade 5 is pushed into the slot 9 by one or more advancing cylinders 10 which urge the conveyor 1 along with the guide rail 4 unyieldingly tightly against the coal face F, and there it has such a firm hold that it cannot lift from the floor or be otherwise distorted or twisted. A satisfactory direct holding of the guide plate 5 against the coal face F has hitherto been prevented by the fact that a cushion of fine coal formed ahead of the leading edge of said guide plate 5 and thus the entire guide rail 4 was frequently lifted up.

In the arrangement A of the invention, such lifting up and twisting of the guide rail 4 is substantially eliminated since when the guide blade 5 is inserted into the slot 9, it holds itself and the guide rail 4 in substantially fixed relation to the mine floor G and mine face F against the influence of coal winning reaction forces transmitted to the guide rail 4 via the coal planer 6, said guide plate 5 serving to transmit such translated reaction forces back to the mine face F.

The coal planer main cutters 7 can thus cut somewhat more deeply into the coal face F, because their depth of cut capability has been increased by the depth of penetration 11 of the leading edge of the guide blade 5 into the slot 9. The coal planer 6 can therefore be constructed with a correspondingly narrower design.

In coal planers 6 that are equipped with bottom, for scoring cutters (not shown), such cutters can be disposed for engagement into the pre-cut slot 9, to provide an additional holding capability which prevents the coal planer 6 from climbing upward.

As exemplified by FIG. 1, under typical operating conditions, the coal front surface 12 generated by the extractive action of the main cutters 7 advances longitudinally behind said cutters 7 in the direction of the arrow X. Depthwise, the coal front surface 12 lies forward of the previously cut surface 13 by an amount approximately equal to the depth of cut produced by the cutters 7.

The slot cutting blade 8, as can be seen more clearly in the plan view of FIG. 1, is inclined at a slight angle away from the coal face F in the direction of its motion, i.e. that of the coal planer 6 indicated by arrow X. This inclination not only results in a breaching type of cutting action by the chisel teeth T on the blade 8, but also places the forwardmost longitudinal point of engagement of said blade 8 with the coal face F at a selected distance behind the longitudinal engagement position of the forward planing cutters 7 with said coal face F. By varying the angle of inclination of the blade 8 with respect to the line of its travel, and thereby with respect to the coal face F, the forwardmost coal face F engagement point of said blade 8 can be selectively varied in relation to that of the cutters 7. Such an arrangement of slot cutting blade 8 results in the formation of an approximately triangular region 14 which has been cut free by the coal planer 6 but which does not have the slot 9, and which is ordinarily filled with coal dust and chips.

Ahead of the cutters 7, the coal face F has the slot 9 cut by the blade 8 during the previous pass of coal planer 6. To the rear of the cutters 7, along the path of coal planer 6 movement, the depth of the slot 9 gradually increases to a maximum at the trailing portion of the slot cutting blade 8. Since as the coal planer 6 advances, the previously cut slot 9 no longer remains as a slot due to the coal removal, the slot 9 at the trailing edge of the cutting blade 8 is actually the new slot 9.

The guide blade is pushed by the advancing cylinders into this new slot 9 after the coal planer 6 passes by to an extent where the pivoting capability of the conveyor sections 2 and guide rail 4 sections permits.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the cutting blade 8 cuts the slot 9 approximately to the depth 11, and substantially co-planar with the previously cut mine floor G. In the instantaneous cutting area of the blade 8, the leading edge of the guide blade 5 does not and cannot engage completely into the slot 9, but does engage into said slot 9 partially at the forward and rearward portions within said region 14, and to a greater extent, engages into said slot 9 slightly ahead and slightly behind the region 14.

It has not been attempted to show specifically all of the potentially available arrangements and detail constructions for the slot cutting blade device 8, since as can be appreciated by the artisan, these various modifications to suit the expediencies of particular types of coal planers 6, and guide rails 4 will be readily apparent from the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention herein.

For example, it is preferable to arrange the cutting blade 8 by providing suitable means (not shown) for executing guided pivoting movements in relation to the coal planer 6 about a horizontal axis parallel to the coal planer 6 direction of travel, and/ or about an axis parallel to the coal face F. Likewise, the cutting blade 8 can be provided with positioning means (not shown) and guide means (not shown) for longitudinal and/or lateral translational positioning with respect to the coal planer 6, either in, or without pivoting capability.

Furthermore, it is desirable to provide means (not shown) such as springs (not shown) for constantly urging the cutting blade 8 against the mine floor G.

However, the cutting blade 8 can be additionally guided directly on the guide rail 4, or on the guide blade 5 so that said butting blade 8 will always cut in the immediate vicinity of the mine floor G.

The cutting blade 8, guide blade 5 and guide rail 4 are preferably constructed and arranged so that the portion of the guide blade 5 which engages into the slot 9 has a minimum amount of free play within said slot 9.

Advantageously, the cutting blade 8 also serves to keep the slot 9 free of coal dust and chips which might hamper the insertion of the guide blade 5 into said slot 9.

What is claimed is:

1. A coal planer and conveyor which comprises an elongated conveyor means adapted to be positioned upon a mine floor in opposite spaced relation to a long wall mine face, an elongated guide means disposed between said conveyor means and said mine face, said guide means being operatively connected to said conveyor means for lateral support thereby, said guide means being disposed for guiding the movement of a coal planer means along a predetermined path relative to said mine face, a coal planer means disposed in operative engagement with said guide means for movement along said path by a motive means, said coal planer means being disposed in extractive engagement with said mine face for coal removal therefrom along a corresponding first path thereon, a slot cutting means operatively connected to said coal planer means for movement therewith, said slot cutting means being disposed in operative extractive engagement with said mine face to remove coal therefrom along a second path defining a slot recessed into said mine face along said mine floor, an elongated guide member operatively connected to said guide means and having a leading edge disposed for operative engagement with said mine floor, said guide member being adapted to be disposed in said recessed slot to operatively engage said mine face and maintain said guide means in substantially fixed relation to said mine floor and mine face against the influence of translated coal extraction reactive forces acting upon said guide means, and means operatively connected with said guide member for urging same into said recessed slot.

2. A coal planer and conveyor arrangement which comprises an elongated conveyor means adapted to be positioned upon a mine floor in opposite spaced relation to a long wall mine face, said conveyor means having an elongated lateral member disposed in approximately parallel relation to said mine face, an elongated guide means disposed between said conveyor means and said mine face in approximately parallel relation thereto, said guide means being operatively connected to said lateral member of said conveyor means, said guide means being disposed for guiding the longitudinal movement of a coal planer means along a predetermined path relative to said mine face and approximately parallel thereto, a coal planer means disposed in operative engagement with said guide means for longitudinal movement along said path by a motive means, said coal planer means being disposed for extractive engagement with said mine face for coal removal therefrom along a corresponding first path thereon, a slot cutting blade member disposed for extractive engagement With said mine face to remove coal therefrom along a second path disposed approximately parallel to said first coal removal path and in underlying spaced relation thereto, said second path defining a longitudinally disposed slot recessed into said mine face along said mine floor and having a depth greater than that of said first coal removal path, said slot cutting blade member being disposed in operative engagement with said coal planer means for longitudinal movement therewith, and an elongated guide blade member operatively connect-ed to said guide means and having a leading edge disposed for operative engagement with said mine floor and for insertion into said recessed slot defined by the extractive action of said slot cutting blade member to operatively engage said mine face and maintain said guide means in substantially fixed relation to said mine floor and mine face against the influence of translated forces acting upon said guide means by reason of the extractive engagement of said coal planer means with said mine face, and means for urging said guide blade member into said recessed slot.

3. The coal planer and conveyor arrangement according to claim 2 wherein a portion of said slot cutting blade member is disposed in adjacent shielding relation to the leading edge portion of said guide blade member to prevent obstruction of said guide blade member by coal fragments removed from said mine face by said slot cutting blade member.

4. The coal planer and conveyor arrangement according to claim 2 wherein said guide means and said guide blade member are integrally constructed.

5. In a mining planer and conveyor arrangement comprising an elongated conveyor means adapted to be positioned on a mine floor spaced apart from a long wall mine face; a guide means operatively associated with said conveyor means and disposed between said conveyor means and said mine face; and a planer operatively associated with said guide means adapted to extract material from said mine face; the improvement which comprises providing a cutter operatively associated with said planer and said guide means and disposed in a position adapted to be substantially adjacent said mine floor and extending to a position adapted to insure slot-cutting relation to said mine wall along said mine floor; and providing secondary guide means operatively associated with said planer and said guide means and disposed in a position adapted to be guided by said slot.

6. A coal planer and conveyor which comprises an elongated conveyor means adapted to be positioned upon a mine floor in opposite spaced relation to a long Wall mine face, an elongated guide means disposed between said conveyor means and said mine face, said guide means being operatively connected to said conveyor means for lateral support thereby, said guide means being disposed for guiding the movement of a coal planer means along a predetermined path relative to said mine face, a coal planer means disposed in operative engagement with said guide means for movement along said path by a motive means, said coal planer means being disposed in extractive engagement with said mine face for coal removal therefrom along a corresponding first path thereon, a slot-cutting means operatively connected to said coal planer means for movement therewith, said slot-cutting means being disposed in operative extractive engagement with said mine face to remove coal therefrom along a second path defining a slot recessed into said mine face along said mine floor, an elongated guide member operatively connected to said guide means and having a leading edge disposed for operative engagement with said mine floor, said guide member being adapted to be disposed in said recessed slot to operatively engage said mine face longitudinally displaced behind said slot-cutting means and adapted to maintain said guide means in substantially fixed relation to said mine floor and mine face against the influence of translated coal extraction reactive forces acting upon said guide means, and means operatively connected with said guide member for urging same into said recessed slot.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,801,837 8/1957 Sander 29934 3,245,722 4/1966 Creuels et al 299-34 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,359,048 3/ 1964 France.

642,686 4/ 1935 Germany.

ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner. 

5. IN A MINING PLANER AND CONVEYOR ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CONVEYOR MEANS ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED ON A MINE FLOOR SPACED APART FROM A LONG WALL MINE FACE; A GUIDE MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CONVEYOR MEANS AND DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID CONVEYOR MEANS AND SAID MINE FACE; AND A PLANER OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID GUIDE MEANS ADAPTED TO EXTRACT MATERIAL FROM SAID MINE FACE; THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES PROVIDING A CUTTER OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID PLANER AND SAID GUIDE MEANS AND DISPOSED IN A POSITION ADAPTED TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY ADJACENT SAID MINE FLOOR AND EXTENDING TO A POSITION ADAPTED TO INSURE SLOT-CUTTING RELATION TO SAID MINE WALL ALONG SAID MINE FLOOR; AND PROVIDING SECONDARY GUIDE MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID PLANER AND SAID GUIDE MEANS DISPOSED IN A POSITION ADAPTED TO BE GUIDED BY SAID SLOT. 